“Watch and Study Film on Jiu Jitsu Part 2″

A little while ago I wrote an article titled “Watch and Study Film on Jiu Jitsu”, that dealt with how to study matches between Elite Jiu Jitsu fighters and how to apply what you have learned in your own training. In today’s article “Watch and Study Film on Jiu Jitsu Part 2” I am going to address the idea of watching instructional dvds and videos online. Now before I start I must say that as great as studying and learning from good instructional dvds/videos is, it is absolutely no substitute for learning in person from a good coach! Your film study should be like the icing on the cake and complement your hard training in the gym and not the actual cake mix!

So now that we have that out-of-the-way I’d like to start by saying I just watched a really great webinar (Online seminar) today in which UFC fighter Alan “The Talent” Belcher taught how to defend against various leg locks and leg attacks. And I learnt a great deal from this webinar that I will be implementing directly into my game! In my experience some of the very best instructional dvds and videos are generally more concepts based than technique based. While there is obviously some techniques taught on the video it is the concepts and about the how, when and why that separate a great video from a mediocre on.

A great instructional video should provoke thought in the viewer and make you think about the way you do your techniques, why you do them that way, understand the timing (when) and also give you a mental framework of reference regarding the technique and situations that lead to the technique. As a matter of fact most of my favourite instructional videos on MGinAction are the Discussion videos from after class when students ask Marcelo questions and he takes a few minutes to help them with their problems. I have learnt so much from these. Speaking of good instructors if you are not yet a member of Marcelo Garcia’s MGinAction online instructional website you really should join as he is a great coach and pioneering online Jiu Jitsu Instruction! Use “Jiu Jitsu Kingdom” as a code to receive a free week on MGinAction and if you join please be sure to mention “Jiu Jitsu Kingdom” as the person who recommended you! 🙂 Marcelo has been delving more and more into the conceptual side of teaching explaining the timing understanding of why his movements tend to be so effective and how to be a better Jiu Jitsu fighter. I can’t recommend MGinAction highly enough!

So with regards to studying instructional film my recommendations are similar, choose one or two concepts/techniques that you want to work on and watch the corresponding videos several times taking a few key notes on the most important concepts. Take your notes to the gym with you next time you train and try to apply these concepts or new techniques in your game. Take notes of how you went and what needs work and go back and re watch the instructional videos a few more times paying particular attention to the areas that gave you problems and see if you can find out where you went wrong and how to improve next time you train. Spend at least a week (preferably a month)on these two concepts/techniques and watch your game improve!